Question: Simplify the following expression: $ a = \dfrac{-4q + 7}{-10} + 9 $
In order to add expressions, they must have a common denominator. Multiply the second expression by $\dfrac{-10}{-10}$ $ \dfrac{9}{1} \times \dfrac{-10}{-10} = \dfrac{-90}{-10} $ Therefore $ a = \dfrac{-4q + 7}{-10} + \dfrac{-90}{-10} $ Now the expressions have the same denominator we can simply add the numerators: $a = \dfrac{-4q + 7 - 90}{-10} $ $a = \dfrac{-4q - 83}{-10}$ Simplify the expression by dividing the numerator and denominator by -1: $a = \dfrac{4q + 83}{10}$